Haldir was the march-warden of Lorien, a fierce warrior and in favour of lady Galadriel. He was returning from a trip to Fangorn with a group of other Galadhrim. There were his two younger brothers, Orophin and Rumil, and three Galadhrim. Of the group of elves, Rumil would be the youngest and Rumil was also not the best fighter, especially since the weapon he had brought on the trip had fallen into a river and so he had to use his brother Haldir's knife which was much to heavy for him.
Haldir was leading the group past Isengard. His mind was not focused on what he was doing, he could not stop thinking of wait awaited him at home. Not long ago, perhaps ten elvish years ago, Haldir had bonded to who he thought was the most wondrous elf in Arda. Princess Illiendal is whom he married; she was the daughter of king Thranduil of Mirkwood and now resided with Haldir in Lorien. But they had not had children yet.
Recently something was troubling Illiendal, she had not felt well for days. Illiendal saw a healer whilst Haldir was at work, and at night when he was home Illiendal told the March warden that he was going to be a father. Haldir was more than excited but could not stay long in Lorien; he had to go to Fangorn with some of his men. When Haldir returned from Fangorn, he had been promised by Celeborn and Galadriel that he could have the next two years off since his wife was with child.
She-elves are normally pregnant for exactly one year. Illiendal had been pregnant already for six months and Haldir expected he would be back in a couple of weeks to take care of his wife. Whilst he was gone, Haldir's mother and father made sure Illiendal were all right.
So focused on his wife and their baby that was coming was why Haldir lead his men close to Isengard, closer than he would like. Saruman spotted the elves, and was not exactly pleased about how close the elves came to Isengard. So Saruman decided to come and confront the elves.
Still daydreaming, Haldir did not realise that the white wizard was near until his brother Rumil shouted. Haldir spun around. One of his men, thankfully neither of his brothers but one, who had been good friends of Orophin, lay dead on the ground. Haldir gasped. Rumil clutched Orophin and was crying, Haldir was standing right in front of Saruman and Saruman looked like he was ready to strike Haldir with his staff. After all, Saruman had hit the elf that now was dead on the head with his staff, which had caused the death.
Rumil cried for his brother and for what would happen to them when Haldir was killed. Rumil was the youngest and he knew that might not come to an advantage. He might be spared and die a nice quick death, he might be speared but even having a spear pierce his abdomen would be more preferable than being the slave of Saruman. Rumil was probably most handsome of the remaining five Galadhrim and Orophin knew the orcs and Saruman could do some cruel things with Rumil.
"If you kill me leave my brothers. Don't hurt them, or my men. Just kill me and be done with it. I will die a warrior's death, my people will avenge me, for I am their strong march-warden." Haldir said wit as much pride as he could, though he stuttered quite a bit since he could not help but imagine his wife when she would find out of his death.
Orophin squeezed his little brother and shut his eyes. He could not watch Haldir die a warrior's death, Haldir was his role model ever since they where elflings. Orophin still had his sword and if Haldir were killed he would kill Rumil. He did not want Rumil to suffer afterwards, he would ease Rumil, give Rumil the quick death his brother deserved.
Saruman pointed his staff at Haldir. Haldir stumbled backwards and fell onto the ground, cursing the wizard loudly, which only made the wizard think of Haldir as a more arrogant elfling. The wizard mumbled words Haldir could not understand. Haldir let out a loud shrill scream as a spell was cast at him.
"Haldir… No…" Rumil began to cry harder. Orophin took his knife and put it against Rumil's throat.
"I'll make it quick Rumil. I wont let you suffer whatever torment Saruman will put you through." Orophin whispered. He thought what would kill Rumil quick and so decided to stab him in the chest. Rumil shut his eyes and nodded.
"Do it now. Please." Rumil said. Orophin raised his blade to stab Rumil when the blade flew out of his hands by a spell cast by Saruman. All of the remaining four elves starred at Saruman, all fearing what would become of them. Saruman took two steps to the side to reveal what he had done to Haldir. Haldir's screams had died down a while ago and now all that the elves saw was a lump of the march-warden's clothes. Rumil opened his eyes and let out a soft sob when he saw the clothes.
"Let that be a lesson to you all, if you plan on trespassing at least do not be… such an unruly elfling, like your friend here has learnt." Saruman smirked before leaving, Orophin's sword falling to the ground besides Haldir's clothing. Saruman was out of sight and Rumil ran to Haldir's clothes, letting out his sobs.
"Haldir, why? It should have been me… You had a wife… You are needed here… No… Haldir… I'm sorry I did not warm you sooner… What?" Rumil was clutched the clothes and then he backed away. Orophin touched Rumil on his shoulder.
"What is it, Rumil?" Orophin asked. Rumil pointed to clothing of their brother.
"Something is in that clothes, it's not just clothes." Rumil said. Orophin approached his fallen brother's clothes and moved it around.
"I see what Saruman meant about 'unruly elfling'." Orophin said with a sad smile.
Three weeks later the group of elves returned. It had taken longer, for Rumil and Orophin had to carry the dead.
When they returned, much talk passed through Lorien about their encounter with Saruman. Illiendal was worried sick, for she thought Haldir would have came straight home to her, at least just so she knew he was alright. When a knock at the door was heard, Illiendal ran as fast as she could whilst pregnant to answer the door, ready to kiss Haldir all over his muscular body and beg him never to leave again for so long.
Opening the door she was smiling, but she was somewhat disappointed to see Rumil and Orophin. Then worry came over her. Why would she see her brother-in-laws before her husband? Had something befallen Haldir?
"Rumil, Orophin! You have been back for a day now, but I have not heard word of Haldir, I miss him so… where is my husband?" She asked, Rumil sighing and stepping forwards to speak.
"Illiendal, I'm so sorry-
"No… What happened?" Illiendal looked at Rumil's sad eyes and began to quiver in worry. "Has he perished?" Illiendal asked in a quiet voice.
"No. Haldir has not perished. But Saruman cursed him…" Orophin came forwards and revealed a small elfling wrapped in a blanket. The elfling did not look at Illiendal right away, but when he did Illiendal saw the tears down the little one's face. She looked into the elfling's eyes and gasped. She knew those eyes, they where Haldir's eyes with no doubt.
"Who is that?" Illiendal asked, touching the elfling's face. The elfling flinched, and reached out to hold Illiendal's hand.
"Haldir…" Illiendal whispered. Rumil nodded.
"Saruman called Haldir an 'unruly elfling'… So he turned him into one." Rumil said, passing Haldir into Illiendal's arms.
"My husband… Does he remember me? Can he talk?" Illiendal asked, looking sadly at the child.
"I can talk… I remember you…" Haldir said quietly in a childish voice. Although he sounded very childish, Illiendal could hear a familiarity in his voice to what Haldir sounded like as a fully-grown man.
"Oh… My husband…" Illiendal said, carrying Haldir to their bedroom, his brothers following.
"We thought we would stop here first. Haldir is naked, when the spell was cast he shrunk and was too small for his clothes." Orophin admitted. Illiendal moved the blanket to see if Orophin said the truth, and nodded.
"We can go get some baby clothes that used to belong to Haldir from our parents house… Do you want to be alone with Haldir?" Rumil asked. Illiendal nodded and the brothers left. Illiendal sat on her bed with Haldir.
"It hurt." Little Haldir said softly. Illiendal looked at him curiously.
"What?" Illiendal asked.
"I remember when… the white guy… What's his name?" Haldir could not think as well as he had as a grown man.
"Saruman?"
"Yea, him. I remember when that guy zapped me. It felt like my skin was shrinking and all my insides where being crushed. I remember I screamed and that guy with the blonde hair… My brother… Oomil…"
"Rumil."
"Rumil was crying. Then it all stopped and it was black. I woke up high up in Oreo's arms, on a horsie." Haldir said with a quiet sob.
"Oh, Haldir, what's the matter?" Illiendal saw a tear run down Haldir's face.
"I'm an elfling… Again! You have an elfling in your belly, my elfling! My life is ruined!" Haldir sniffled as Illiendal gave him a hug.
"I'm sorry. I can't be an ada." Haldir whispered as his brothers re-entered the room with clothing fit for an elfling. They handed the tiny elfling to Illiendal, and Haldir snatched it from his wife.
"I'm old enough to dress myself! I look like and elfling and I sound funny but I am still a big elf inside." Haldir let the blanket fall off him and he attempted to pull the leggings up his little bony legs, failing miserably with a sob.
"Here, let me…" Illiendal brought her husband over to her and pulled the leggings up his legs. Haldir whispered a thank-you.
"Illiendal, now we must ask you. You can keep Haldir here and take care of him as an elfling or our parents have agreed to raise him again." Rumil said. Illiendal looked at Haldir. She had trouble believing that the little elf who was only six in mortal years was actually her handsome, fully-grown husband she used to have.
"Haldir, what do you want?" Illiendal asked softly.
"I don't want to burden you, especially with our- your baby coming. I should leave." Haldir whispered. Illiendal shook her head.
"I will keep him. I love him far too much to just kick him out because he has shrunken." Illiendal said. The two brothers nodded.
"We shall leave then. We have to. If you need help tell us." Rumil said as he and his brother left Haldir and Illiendal.
Illiendal was rather uncomfortable with her husband, since he was now just a child. She never knew Haldir as a child, she had met him one year before she became of age, but Haldir had already been an adult.
"How are you?" Illiendal asked.
"Good… Ew…" Haldir could smell himself, and he was dirty.
"What?" Illiendal asked, approaching Haldir.
"Nothing!" For some reason something inside Haldir told him he did not want to bathe, even though as an adult he loved bathes. It must be the curse, the adult Haldir thought.
"Ah, you smell bad, that's what. You must not have bathed since… This happened to you. Come with me." Illiendal picked up Haldir, who squirmed.
"No! I don't need a bath!" Haldir complained as he was carried to the bathroom. Illiendal locked the bathroom door and put Haldir on the bathroom floor as she got water ready for his bath.
"No, I'm clean!" Haldir stood on his tiptoes to reach the door lock, but failed.
"I hate being small!" Haldir screamed, falling backwards onto his backside. Haldir burst into tears, though he did not mean to.
"Come here elfling…" Illiendal opened her arms for the little Haldir, but Haldir backed away.
"Stop it! You're treating me like an elfling! I'm still the same elf you married inside." Haldir said as Illiendal stripped him of his clothing. Illiendal put Haldir in the bath and sighed.
"I know you are still my husband, but you're an elfling now. I remember all the wonderful times we've had, but I cannot love you like I did before as long as you are little." Illiendal took the soap bar and rubbed it across Haldir's chest.
"But… We're married… We're suppose to feel that way about each other… We're suppose to sleep with each other and-
"Haldir, we can still share the same bed but all we can do in the bed is sleep, no more." Illiendal said as she washed Haldir's now tiny elvish ears.
"But Illiendal…"
"No. You are far too little; I would never do anything to a child. I do not even want to touch you, it feels so wrong." Illiendal said as she put soap in Haldir's hair.
"I cant be a baby again!" Haldir sniffed.
"Hush now, you've cried enough. Here, lets take you out of the bath." Illiendal lifted her tiny wet elfling-husband and dried him with a towel. Illiendal dressed him and brought him to their bedroom again.
"Haldir no!" Illiendal saw Haldir was trying to lift one of his swords. Haldir dropped the sword as Illiendal ran over to him, the little elfling screaming when the sword made a loud sound when it hit the floor.
"Don't do that Haldir! Now that you are an elfling you cannot do what you did as an adult. I'll make a deal with you. Whenever you do a good thing, I'll treat you, but one bad thing and I will discipline you." Illiendal said. Haldir laughed.
"What will you do, spank me? You can't! I'm in an elfling-sized body and I have a squeaky voice but inside I'm still older than you!" Haldir said, crossing his small arms across his little chest. Illiendal frowned.
"I can spank you and if you want to keep arguing about this I will." Illiendal said. Haldir shook his head in a no and left the room to explore the house, things looked different from his height. It was like crawling on the ground when he was a grown elf. He had crawled a bit in his bedroom so the view he recognised, but as for the rest of the house he was not familiar with it.
"Where are you going?" Illiendal followed Haldir. Haldir shrugged.
"Exploring." Haldir said in a quiet voice. Illiendal nodded and guided him to the kitchen, where she sat him on the countertop.
"Anything you'll like to eat?" Illiendal asked. Haldir thought and then thought of his favourite food from both childhood and adulthood.
"Cream and strawberries." Haldir stated quietly. Illiendal smiled and kissed him on his cheek.
"You've always loved that treat, haven't you?" Illiendal prepared the elfling a snack and fed it to him. As the child ate, Illiendal sat down near him and spoke with him.
"Haldir, you must understand. From what I can tell, the only way to get over this spell is to grow back into an adult. So I cannot treat you like this every day. If I am going to be your caretaker, then I will have to be a proper parent to you, even though I am your wife. So I will have to use discipline too, things cannot always be so smooth." Illiendal said. Haldir nodded.
"Of all the things that old man could have done, he had to do this to me. He had to ruin me! That old bastard!" Haldir slammed his spoon down in anger. He was still a man inside.
"What did you say?" Illiendal frowned at her child-husband. "Come here. Right now." Illiendal pat her lap, very dissapointed in her elfling-husband.
To be continued…
Do you like it? I hope you do… It's a strange plot and obviously Saruman probably does not have such spells but… This idea came to me in boredom and I really loved it!
